Berlin microcosm here?

Couldn’t agree more about the quality of living and the riding! As for the job perspectives, I reckon the more laid back shops often don’t mind hiring non-native german speakers as long as they have some mechanics skills and general shop experience to show for and fit in with the colleagues. I worked at Radspannerei in Kreuzberg, quite an international team and we have had some mechanics without or very limited german language skills. It was never really a problem in practice - they usually handled english-speaking customers and whenever there was a language barrier it was usually possible to resolve it one way or another. The thing is tho, those kind of shops usually don’t pay very well. If you want to work in a flagship type store I reckon german language skills will be a requirement. My shop however, was usually a bit hesitant with hiring new people since we have a policy that we keep our employees during the off-season. Many berlin bike shops hire and fire depending on the workload.

Thanks guys, that's very informative. Shops probably won't be my only option, and if I stay longer term, I might end up dusting off my shit German too.

Interested to hear your thoughts on nice ways into/out of the city! We currently have an apartment in Buch (beyond Pankow on the S4) which is fantastic because you have endless gravel less than 2 mins from the front door but obviously a pain for commuting to the city. In the medium-term we want to find a place a little more central but my preference would be for a neighbourhood with good routes for getting out of the city, any recommendations?

Oh Buch. Wrong side, and way out (sorry).
But probably best for good routes, north has the nicest stuff in my opinion, parts of Uckermark and mecklenburgische Seenplatte is great.
South and East can also be fun, but up where you are it's hillier in general. Ok, less flat. I didn't do much in the west, but Grunewald is nice in a road cycling in the park way, and has a few very short MTB trails.
I honestly can't say where is best.
In a way Neukölln/Treptow is a good compromise of right side of town and going out via Müggelsee is good but very bad in the beginning. Then back along Dahme and the Teltow canal.

Heading out using teltowkanal in the other direction is also good.

This was my short favourite when I still did cycling, it's a classic Berlin roadie loop.
https://www.komoot.de/tour/179863097?ref=aso

My favourite 100, very little cars as mostly cycle lanes, and the bridge at half way over the spree is great. It's also a spot where you're allowed to biwak and has a toitoi.
Met someone randomly at the big demo on Sunday and he confirmed it's his favourite direction from Neukölln too.
https://www.komoot.de/tour/177525319?ref=aso

But as for your question, no idea.
I will only leave the apartment we have been subletting for 8 years if I have too, and then it would still be Kreuzberg and surroundings hopefully.
If it was only for getting out quick I honestly might end up in Buch, often thought that Bernau/Biesenthal would be nice.

This one also is kind of a good way to head out.
https://www.komoot.de/tour/193344103?ref=aso

Köpenick maybe, because as I said Müggelsee is good to get out. But also not very Berlin center. Buckow if you want to say you live in Neukölln? In the direction of Teltow if you want posh? Nuthe nieplitz is a great area to go riding.

Müggelsee is good but very bad in the beginning

If you get there via treptower park, plänterwald, across the spree and through wuhlheide, it’s actually pretty nice.

That's right, but it's not exactly fast, is it?

from Buch you have nice routes to Liepnitzsee, Gorinsee etc., or you can do a village loop, there are plenty of small villages. there even is a former secret GDR settlement called Waldsiedlung where very important GDR politicians lived.
When you`re in northern Berlin, you can also follow the Berlin-Spandauer Schiffahrtskanal (Berlin- Spandau canal) that starts at Plötzensee and ends in Tegel, there you have many possiblities discovering the Tegeler Forst.
and I don't want to shatter somebodys dreams, but many people are not finding a decent flat in the central parts of berlin, so everyone searching for a cheapish flat that is not in the outskirts with good routes, have patience. Kreuzberg is not the only district.

Kreuzberg is the only district!!!

We really are lucky to be where we are, but it's meant subletting for ages.
If we loose this place we will probably end up in Marzahn or Tegel, Marienfelde if we are lucky. Our income in this market isn't fun, even for native German speakers that have lived here 10 years plus it is fucked.

One thing I see happening is people find good apartments in the not posh areas in the west as everyone wants Kreuzberg/Neukölln/Mitte.

hmmmmm, I lived all my life here and ist sad to see that most flats to rent are at absurd price ranges, I work in Friedrichshain and live in Wedding, and thanks to my ages old contract I live relatively cheap. but dare the day I need to look for flats again

Hey Berliners, my ex has finally decided it's time to sell the spare bike I left at their flat. It's a nice pink and silver Moser done up as a cute runaround singlespeed. I paid some guy 300€ for it a few years ago, would be very pleased to get 200€ but honestly, make me an offer if you or anyone you know wants it. Rides perfectly fine now but would clean up even better if you wanted to make something of it. Based near Reuterplatz if you wanna have a spin. Thanksss

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Hey Berliners, has anyone got some old panniers lying around or for sale? I'd be interested in anything. I'm on a tour and my set up could be improved!

Any berlinians planning to go to bespoked? I‘m considering a day trip on saturday 14 octobre. @Rodolfo @c.h.e.

I´d be interested to go to bespoked too. Are you planning to go there by train?

Thinking about it.
Ride there? Would definitely be my first 200 this year...

Riding there sounds nice but going to the fair on the same day would make for a tight schedule. So I guess I’d prefer the train. The 49€-ticket-compatible connection takes 3:15 hours, the quickest is a little over 2h.

No 49€ ticket here.

VO decaleur style front pannier for sale if anyone interested. I posted in the wrong thread before. It's been a while. Sorry. https://velo-orange.com/products/rando-front-rack-with-integrated-decaleur-cantilever

Howdy! Probably a massive shot in the dark here but the company I work for, SSU, is insolvent. They own farhhrad.de, bruegelman, probike, wiggle etc. Seems like administrators will be appointed this week to wind down/break up the company etc. If any of you berliners have any leads on copywriting, editing, translation automisation etc jobs that would be cool. Im also just finishing up my MA in Decolonial and postcolonial literature & culture so anyhting involved in that would also be super welcome.

Thanks!!

Benko is an asshole.

Hope you find something.
Sounds like you where properly employed, ALG 1 isn't that bad? More time for the MA?